An amplifier includes an electronic circuit designed to isolate or adjust the level of signals to be suitable for driving a circuit or load. In an audio context, an audio amplifier may be arranged to operate on signals having frequencies from approximately 20 hertz (Hz) to 20 kilohertz (kHz). For instance, an audio amplifier may be arranged to amplify line-level audio signals to a level suitable for driving loudspeakers or other sound-reproducing devices.
The circuit arrangement of the audio amplifier may be constructed to balance criteria such as power efficiency, dissipation, linearity, and circuit complexity. Similarly, the power supply for the amplifier may be arranged based on various requirements. These requirements may depend on the amplifier circuit arrangement as well as on other platform-based parameters. As some examples, the power supply may be arranged to account for average current level, maximum tolerable ripple voltage, power supply output impedance, and peak current limitations, as well as non-electrical issues such as component spacing and cost limitations.